Soil Moisture Stress and Nitrogen Supply Affect the Growth Characteristics and Yield of Upland Rice Cultivars

Abstract

Aims: To assess the effect of soil moisture stress and nitrogen fertilizer application on the growth characteristics and yield of upland rice cultivars. Study Design: Completely randomized design in a factorial arrangement. Place and Duration of Study: National Crops Resources Research Institute, Namulonge, Uganda between March and July 2015. Methodology: The experiment comprised four nitrogen (N) application levels (0 as control, 40, 80 and 120 kg N/ha) as main plots and four soil moisture levels (25% as control, 15, 10 and 5%) as sub-plots. Results: Plant heights for stressful moisture levels (15, 10 and 5%) at all N levels were lower (P < .001) than those of the control treatments at the respective N levels. Also, rice plants under Original Research Article

Improved Upland Rice: Adaptability, Agronomic and Farmer Acceptability Assessment under Semi-Arid Conditions of South Western Uganda

“…The assessed agronomic characteristics including plant vigour, height, tillering, disease severity and yield (un-milled), showed significant responses to the fertilizer, variety and fertilizer-variety interaction in the Rubirizi and Mitooma district sites during the short and long rain seasons of 2017. High performance of both improved and local varieties treated with fertilizers based on plant vigour, height, number of headed tillers and yield, was consistent with previous studies elsewhere that have shown varying responses of rice to different fertilizer levels, with the best being the Nitrogen rate of 120 kg N/ha [5] [19]. Seasonal rainfall and soil moisture availability to the plant is considered the most important determinant of whether and when rice is planted in this region.…”

“…It is upon this factor that farmer usually grow rainfed upland rice during the long rain season in order for the crop to have sufficient water. Although the current study agrees with the recommendation of Momolu et al, (2017), that Nitrogen fertilizer should be applied to boost plant growth and yields, these results further showed better fertilizer responses on the 2017B season's crop, which received sufficient rainfall and soil moisture.…”